BF June ATC swap: square

I have no crafting to show atm. John was in the local hospital all last week and, unfortunately, on the weekend his condition deteriorated and he's now in Guy's receiving treatment and further diagnosis.

I received these ATCs for the June swap on the BF forum:

Commissioned wedding card

A friend commissioned me to make a wedding day card in the same style and colours as the invitation - and, fortunately, I managed to find the same font as well.

As the card features a bride and groom silhouette, I'm linking for 365 cards day 119: 'seeing a silhouette'.

Keep it to yourself: wedding card

'Keep it to yourself: wedding card' was the theme for day 116 on 365 cards: 'The message should be clear without an actual sentiment.'

This is my very simple card for the challenge:

Wheelie good fun

The theme for the ATC swap this month on CBC is 'male'.

I used a PM stamp and K & Co Rough and Tumble paper. Wording was printed and embossed:

I notice that challenge 66 on Cute Card Thursday this week is 'wheely good fun' - snap! (except I've spelled it differently)

Simply stamped

The challenge on 365 cards for day 117 was 'simply stamped' - 'One stamped image and one stamped sentiment - that's it. You can color in the image and use any color of card stock - no patterned paper and no other embellishments!'

Yes, this was a challenge. I decided to make a very simple sympathy card (it's a sad fact of life that I always need to stock up with these because every time I have a Tearfund sale I sell out).

I've used a Magenta stamp on white linen card, with versafine onyx black clear embossed. The colouring is just an ordinary colouring pencil - no copics today.

Artarazzi challenge 28

No actual crafting to show, but just thought I'd play around with the Artarazzi challenge. This is the picture provided:



and here is my take on it, incorporating a picture of a single green bloom that I took a while ago:

Salt: Fruit of the Spirit

It was Melita's turn to choose the topic for today's Salt challenge - you can read what she says here.

I've chosen to focus on 'joy'. You might think it's an odd choice, given the present circumstances - John in hospital following weeks of being poorly and this morning I've had to go to the GP and for xray for suspected new vertebrae fracture - but I feel it is an apt choice, because no matter what the circumstances the Holy Spirit enables us to have a joy that isn't based upon how we feel - and I'm so thankful for that.

My LO is based on Nehemiah 8:10, which ends with 'for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'

The paper is My Mind's Eye Bella Bella Paradise, which needed nothing much added to it (which is just as well because I did this earlier this morning before going to see the doctor) - just the addition of the K & Co letters and a Wizard die cut black butterfly.

If you click on the picture to enlarge you will be able to read what I've written.

Commissioned card and ...

... a bit of an explanation. John is back in hospital, so things are quite topsy turvy here (again!) Because my main laptop died on Friday, I now don't have my list of challenge sites and am out of touch - and atm I wouldn't be able to do much anyway.

I needed to make a commissioned card for a diamond wedding - it's an A4 size so that lots of people can sign it.

The background is a textured pearlised card that I coloured with chalk ink pads because I needed it to match. The coloured diamond paper is K & Co Brenda Walton small wonders (girl) - yes, I know papers from this pad are usually used for baby or 'girlie' cards, but it seemed an appropriate pattern for a diamond wedding card. The sentiment was printed on a matching piece of green paper, which I think is Brenda Pinnick. The swirly hearts were cut on the cricut and the flowers top and bottom were off a strip I bought ages ago at John Lewis - they are embroided on an organza type of material.

This photo doesn't do it justice:



Neither does the scan (the middle part is too raised up so it's causing shadow:

Turquoise and chocolate

This is a very late entry for Rosiedee challenge 39.

The idea is to use turquoise and chocolate (a yummy combo) and I decided to use Kathy's latest sketch 12 'give it a swirl':



I don't feel I've done justice to this challenge - crafting seems to be an effort atm. I can't remember what the background paper is (I'll come back and amend if I remember), but it's one I love. The chipboard hearts and 'friend' are some that I've had for a long time (they came free with a mag) - they were a turquoise and peach colour, so I went over them with chestnut roon chalk ink to make them more chocolatey and I was glad that I had some turquoise wire (surprised that I had) to use for the swirls. The sentiment says: 'The road to the house of a friend is never long' Danish Proverb. Then hugging bears, of course, are Forever Friends (they just seemed appropriate here).

The card looks a bit dull on here, but you get the general idea. As usual, you can get a better view if you click on the picture to enlarge.

Blog candy draw winner

I was going to use random.org for the blog candy draw, but realised that it wouldn't work, because followers were entitled to two entries, so I settled on the old fashioned way of bits of paper folded, given a good stir and shake and then John picked a winner:



By the way, who said that the camera never lies? John looks a picture of health here, although in reality he is far from it - not only is the foot a problem, but anaemia is making him feel very weak.

Anyway, back to the real purpose of this post:



and the winner is vikkithescrapjunkie



Well done, Vikki - please let me have your details so I can get the candy sent to you (I'll leave a comment on your blog with my email addy).

Thank you to all of you who left me comments and have become followers of my blog. Here's to the next 10,000 hits - there'll be a celebration for 50,000 (if I keep blogging that long!)

An award

Thank you so much to Audrey who has given me this award. I've got to know Audrey and many other lovely crafters through 365 cards challenges and I am truly touched and so surprised that Audrey included me to receive this award.

Now for the rules:

1. Add the award to your blog
2. Link to the person from whom you received this award
3. Nominate 7 more blogs
4. Leave a message on their blog letting them know they have received 'One Lovely Blog Award'

This is the hard bit because I visit so many wonderful craft blogs and find it virtually impossible to choose just seven. I'm hoping that eventually others will receive this too, because it is deserved by many, many more of my crafting friends.

However, for the time being, I'm nominating these ladies who all continue to inspire me with their wonderful crafting:

Kathy - such wonderful crafting, especially her 'trade mark' passion for flowers
Gez - such a wide variety of lovely crafting, including her excellent card making
Karen - such talent, beautifully shared
Sheila - I great admire Sheila's crafting - so many wonderful ideas and techniques
Maddy Hill - fantastic creations from such a skilled crafter
Rosie-Dee - I'm cheating a bit here, because this is for Rosie and Deeane, who have a fab little challenge blog that I love - and always admire their contributions to it
Kim - I love seeing Kim's lovely creations and reading her thoughts that she shares with us. Kim is one of the Salt DT that I'm so pleased to be a part of - wish I could include all the other girls

If you've never visited these blogs, I suggest you do so - you'll then see why I am so inspired by them.

Please come back later to see the result of the draw for my blog candy.

Computers!!!

Just a quick post to say that I'll be back later to do the draw for my blog candy.

My main laptop (that I used as a desktop) died on me on Friday evening and so I'm using the little one that I keep for using on my lap in the other room or for taking out (which I never do anyway now).

I notice that some of my recent pictures aren't showing on here - I've still got the original photos still on my camera, so at some point I'll load them on to here - not even sure that I've got the software on here to do so, but will see. It's just a mystery as to how and why they disappeared from here.

Although I had the best of intentions - and an external hard drive to make it possible - I still failed to have everything backed up, but still have a lot of recent photos on camera cards, so all is not lost.

I love computers, except when they go wrong ...

Blog candy celebration

As this post will be on top until 20 June,
please scroll down to see recent crafting.
Thank you.

In the next week or so I will have reached 40,000 hits to my blog since Sitemeter was installed - so, I'm celebrating by giving away some candy. Update: I've now gone past 40,000 hits.

To be in with a chance to win, all you need to do is leave me a comment on this post and also link back to me from your blog - either in a post, or by putting a link in your sidebar.

If you become a follower of my blog, or if you are already a follower, I will put your name in the hat an extra time - so you will have two chances to win.

I am very grateful for everyone who comes and has a look here and I always appreciate your comments.

This is what's on offer:



A set of five Dovecraft Wedding Premium Embossed Cards with envelopes
A set of five Dovecraft Glamour Premium Embossed Cards with envelopes
A set of Assorted Alphabet Bubble Stickers
A sheet of Kelly Panacci epoxy stickers
An Arctic Frog Lilly Pads Flower Show set of 6" x 6" papers
Baby Boy E-Z stick-on 3-D sticker embellishments
A Mr Men embossing board
A packk of Dry Transfer Lettering
A pack of Papermania sparkling trims - 6 x 1m lengths
Queen & Co brads - Textured Trios - Boy

so there's something for every occasion.

The draw is open to anyone and everyone, whether you're a frequent visitor or here for the first time - and I'm willing to post worldwide, so distance is no problem.

I will keep this post on top until midnight Saturday 20 June (GMT + summertime) and will do the draw the next day.

Please scroll down below this post for recent crafting.

Who's for golf?

This card is for the sketch on challenge 36 on Crafts 4 Eternity: 'one for the dads':

Sadly, my dad died a few years ago, so I no longer make a Father's Day card, but this card could be used to give to a man for any occasion.

Cupcake challenge 44 is also: 'Father's Day' (or a card for a male).

Day 110 on 365 cards is 'my guy' - 'Make a masculine card, and use an ARGYLE pattern'

Papers are Craft Creations Green texture, green diamonds and green meadow narrow stripe.



I've also shown this for Tanda Teaser 103 'Oh Daddy!'
If you haven't left a comment for my blog candy, please take a look here and join in - less than a week to go now - and you've got to be in it to win it!

Black and a touch of pink

This card is for sketch 55 on Sketch Saturday:

Today (day 111) on 365 cards the theme is: 'say it with stripes' - 'Which means, that your challenge is to create a card with Bold Colors and Stripes.'

It features roses for ABC 'R is for roses' (lagging behind with ABC challenges) and Creative Card Crew challenge 15 calls for 'black plus one other colour'.

I used papers and embellishments from my newly acquired Papermania Touch of Pink kit (which I managed to get at a bargain price of £8.49 - I love a bargain, so I bought the Touch of Teal box as well - it is so easy on the internet!):


If you haven't left a comment for my blog candy, please take a look here and join in - less than a week to go now - and you've got to be in it to win it!

Another commissioned card

I've been asked to make a card for a friend's grandson's 6th birthday, featuring a rocket.

This fits in with a few challenges:

365 day 108: 'oh boy!' - masculine birthday card, but not for an adult
Everybody art 43: 'numbers'
Mixed Media Monday: 'numbers'
Paperplay week 21: 'give it a twist' - 'Use your supplies in an unexpected way
For example, pink card for men, title in Braille, clock faces instead of the letter "O", anything with a twist!' - my twist is using a pink birthday sentiment on a boy's card, because it matches parts of the rocket. I also decorated the back of the card as well as the front.

I've used a K & Co Donna Ingermanson paper from the Rough and Tumble range. I scanned the rocket and increased its size. I didn't have a number 6 to match, so I inked and embossed a naked chipboard one. I also inked the birthday sentiment (it was originally a pale lilac).

I used some more of the paper to decorate the back of the card:


If you haven't left a comment for my blog candy, please take a look here and join in - less than a week to go now - and you've got to be in it to win it!

Commissioned card: pile it on!!!

I was asked to make an 80th birthday card, pink and purple with flowers.

I used this week's sketch on Friday Sketchers challenge 56:


As I used two ribbons on the card (one across the middle and the glittery one tied at the side) I'm linking for challenge 2 on Pile it on: 'wrapped up in ...': 'We want you to use RIBBON on your project - at least TWO DIFFERENT RIBBONS! You must, of course, combine with at least one other challenge!'

The idea of Pile it on is to combine with other challenges - the more, the merrier! So, here are the other challenges that I'm linking for this card:

Lots to do challenge 24: 'no theme, you choose'
One Stop Craft challenge 33: 'add some sparkle' (the ribbon on the left is glittered and there are lots of gems on the butterflies, etc)
Double Dutch challenge 20: 'my one and only' - one colour: shades of lilacs
Created by hand: 'your choice'
Everybody Art challenge 44: 'Happy Birthday'
Simon Says: 'Happy Birthday'
Flutter by Wednesday challenge 62: open theme: 'This week the challenge is an open week as long as your card has a butterfly or fairy on it'
A Spoon full of sugar challenge 55: 'butterflies'
Just Bex: 'ways with ribbons' - 2 different ways
Tander Teaser 102: beautiful butterflies'

Wow! And all because I was asked to make an 80th birthday card.

I used BG Eva papers, made a 'nestie' oval with printed sentiment on computer, with the addition of flowers and ribbons from stash. The outer flowers were white, so I inked with wisteria chalk ink and did the same with the butterflies, edged with orchid pastel chalk ink.



I'm also submitting this for the Artistic Stamper June challenge on CBC - there isn't actually any stamping on it, but there is inking.

If you haven't left a comment for my blog candy, please take a look here and join in - only a few days to go now - and you've got to be in it to win it!

Girly girl

Today (day 107) on 365 cards the topic is 'so girly': The word "Girl" must be somewhere on the card - and make the card very girly!

This card is also for Becky's sketch no. 4 for challenge 65 on My Time to Craft:

I turned the sketch over. The papers are all K & Co, taken from the Amy Butler and Sparkly Sweet ranges. I've had the pink and turquoise 3D shaker stickers for ages (don't remember where I got them) and have never found a use for them until now.

As there is a rather elaborate shoe on the card, it's OK for 'shoe time' this week on Papertake Weekly challenge blog.

I've just found the new challenge blog Pile it on - where we are encouraged to combine with at least one other challenge. The first challenge (I'm actually late for this, but still thought I'd join in) is to use a non-stamped sentiment or title, so I think the Girly girl qualifies.


If you haven't left a comment for my blog candy, please take a look here and join in - less than a week to go now - and you've got to be in it to win it!

Commissioned silver wedding card

A neighbour has asked me to make three cards this week (one was for the 'music man' that I showed a couple of days ago). This one is for a silver wedding anniversary. I found a sketch that I thought would be good to use - and have just realised that it's for Just Christmas and Birthday cards challenge 35, and, of course, d'oh! this is neither Christmas nor Birthday, but I still want to acknowledge that I used this sketch by Simone:

I used an embossed base pearl card overlayed with vellum 'congratulations', with the addition of some 3D flowers etc.

Neither the photo:

nor the scan:

does the card justice - it looks better irl

If you haven't left a comment for my blog candy, please take a look here and join in - less than a week to go now - and you've got to be in it to win it!

BF June ATCs

The subject for the June ATC swap on BF is 'squares'. I started making mine, but in the end wasn't happy with them - the paper I used was K & Co Donna Ingemanson 'rough and tumble':



so I made a different lot, this time using Core'dinations black magic card Cuttlebug embossed and sanded with squares cut from American crafts Bavarian paper, with the addition of a square gem here and there:


If you haven't left a comment for my blog candy, please take a look here and join in - less than a week to go now - and you've got to be in it to win it!

Inchies: black, white and a hint of red

Now everyone else in the group has got theirs I'll show the inchies I made for the 'black and white with a hint of red' June swap on BF. I used pieces of BG scarlet's letter paper, used a Sharpie black pen to decorate the edges and coloured the centres of the daisies with a red copic (they were originally pink).

The challenge on Small world of inchies and twinchies this week is 'black and white with a touch of red', so I'm linking there.


And this is the lovely selection of inchies I received in the swap:


If you haven't left a comment for my blog candy, please take a look here and join in - less than a week to go now - and you've got to be in it to win it!